Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a developing device, and a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus, such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile machine, or a multifunction peripheral having at least two of copying, printing, facsimile transmission, plotting, and scanning capabilities, that include the developing device.
Description of the Related Art
There are developing devices that include a developer containing compartment to contain two-component developer including magnetic carrier and toner and a developer bearer containing a magnetic field generator. The magnetic field generator exerts a magnetic force to attract the two-component developer onto the surface of the developer bearer, and the developer bearer transports the developer to a developing range facing a latent image bearer.
Such developing devices further include a developer regulator and a developer conveyor to stir and transport the developer inside the developer containing compartment adjacent to the developer bearer. The developer regulator is disposed across a gap (i.e., a regulation gap) from the surface of the developer bearer to adjust the amount of developer borne on the surface of the developer bearer. For example, the developer conveyor is a conveying screw including a shaft and a spiral blade winding around the shaft. While being transported by the conveying screw, the developer is attracted by the magnetic force of a developer scooping pole of the magnetic field generator and borne on the surface of the developer bearer.